Segun Akanni Ogungbe

Even at his weakest, Macheso lacks competition

“Dzimwe nzendo, taurai madzoka!” This phrase, a signature line from Mark Ngwazi’s hit song ‘Taurai Madzoka’, once resonated deeply with fans as the young sungura artist rose to prominence. At one point, Ngwazi’s rapid ascent led to bold comparisons with the undisputed king of sungura, Alick Macheso. The debate intensified in 2022 when the two musicians released albums just weeks apart. Macheso’s ‘Tinosvitswa Nashe’ album launch took place on June 10, 2022 while Ngwazi’s ‘Nharo neZvinenharo’ followed suit on June 25. While both albums were critically acclaimed, for Ngwazi, this marked a career breakthrough.